Bomb



F. RANKEN.

BOMB. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, I9l9.

Patented ov. 1, 1921.

D C A F ECE.

FRANCIS RANKEN, OF KINGSWAY, LONDON, ENGLAND.

BOMB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

Application filed September 16, 1919. Serial No. 324,207.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE A01. 01 MAIRCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L, 1318.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS RANKEN, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at the Air Ministry, Central House, Kingsway, London, W. (l, 2, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Bombs, for which I have filed an application in Great Britain, Sept. 13, 1917, Patent #134,559, and of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bombs of the incendiary type and has for its object to provide a bomb of small dimensions which is simple to construct but effective in operation and is adapted to be used singly or in groups which are discharged from a container.

According to this invention a cylindrical casing is provided which is closed and weighted at one end where a striker is positioned. A separate cartridge which contains an incendiary composition and a detonator cap at one end is adapted to be inserted in the casing so that on impact the cartridge will slide within the casing when the cap will be detonated by the striker. As a result the cartridge is ejected from the casing and the incendiary composition is ignited. The cylindrical casing has one end closed by a separate plug which constitutes the weight the striker being formed or mounted on one face of this plug. The other end of the cylinder is closed by a detachable cap which can be sprung into place and is preferably provided with wings or vanes. The cartridge comprises a cylindrical metal container for the incendiary composition and a head which carries the detonator cap. The cartridge is a loose fit within the easing into WhlCh it is inserted and the head then lies against tongues which are struck inward from the wall of the casing and keep the head of the cartridge clear of the striker.

In the preferred construction the cartridge container tube is formed of aluminium and the incendiary composition is of the thermit class and conveniently made up as follows Powdered aluminium 3parts. Barium nitrate 6parts. Hammer-scale Sparts.

posed as follows Barium nitrate 16% parts. Powdered aluminium 5 parts Sulfur 6 parts. Potassium nitrate 1% parts. Shellac 3, parts.

This composition is moistened with methylated spirits and pressed into place. priming is used which is composed of gun powder dust moistened with spirit varnish and pressed into place, the spirit varnish being made up of 6 lbs. of shellac to one gallon of methylated spirits. The detonator cap as also the head of the cartridge is preferably formed as in an ordinary sporting cartridge.

In use a bomb thus constructed is adapted to be released from an aircraft and when it strikes an object the cartridge within the casing will slide forward on to the striker shearing or deforming the sa ety device in its passage along the container. A number of these bombs may be grouped in a suitable receptacle and arranged so that when released they will fall in successive bunches.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example alternative constructions of the improved bomb. In these drawings- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the bomb the cartridge being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the cartridge.

Referring to Fig. 1 the bomb comprises an The plug is conveniently formed cylindrlcal of mild steel with an annular recess or cannelure B "toward one end into which the end of the cylinder A is rolled or with which the cylinder is otherwise caused to engage as by clenching at several points. About the center of the inner end face of the plug is a pro'ection B which serves as a strlker. A cap on which are formed or mounted wings D is sprung on to and closes the op site end of the casingA.

he cartridge as shownin Fig 2 has a casing E formed as a tube of aluminium with one end closed as at E On the other end of the tube E is fixed a cartridge head F of normal type provided with the usual detonator cap at its center and held in place either by stabbing (i. e. indentin slightly the tube E at one or more points if) or in some other convenient manner. The cartrid e case E is mainl filled with the incen iary composition which as mentioned is of the thermit class and made up conveniently as indicated above for example of barium nitrate, aluminium dust and hamm'er-scale pressed dr'y into the case E. On this composition is placed a layer H of igniting composition conveniently made up of barium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sulfur, aluminium dust and shellac all moistened with methylated spirit and pressed into the casing 011 to the top of the 1ncendiary compositlon. On the igniter H lies a riming aver H (say of powder dust above which is a layer of flattened quickmatch J with a card washer K next it.

Two tongues A are struck inward from the wall of the casing A so that'these tongues .will project into the interior of the casing a short distance from the inner face of the plug B. When the cartridge is within the before the ca 0 is put. into place the head is pressed past the indentacaslng as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 the head F of the cartridge rests on the ton es A and is thus kept away from the stri er B. On impact the cartrid head will shear or deform the to es 1 then the cartridge detonator will be rought down upon the striker B.

Two 0 positel dis sed indentations are mad: in the wall of the A in a roximately the position shown in Fig. 1.

en the cartridge E is inserted into the casing through the open end of the latter of the cartri tions A whic will sprin apart so that the head of the cartrid wil reach and rest on the tongues A. e indentations A then prevent the cartrid from expelled by t e detonation of the cap.

passing out of the rear or o 11 en of the casing A- until casingn 2. incendiary bomb including in combination a cylinder, a plug constituti a weight in one end of said cylinder, a stri er in center of said plug, a detachable cap for the other end of sad cylinder, a separate cartridge, an incendiary composition therein, and a detonator cap for said cartridge adapted to bedetonated by said striker upon impact, and tongues inwardly pro'ecting fron the cylinder and supportlng said cartri ge.

3. An incendiary bomb including in combination a cylinder, a plug constltut' a weight in one end of said cylinder, a stri er on said plug, a readily detachable cap for the other end of said cylinder, a separate cartridge with incendiary composition therein and a detonator cap attached to said cartridgeand containing means adapted upon impact between said detonator cap and said striker to expel said cartridge from said cylinder.

4. An incendiary bomb including in combination a cylinder, a plug constltutin a weight in one end of said cylinder, a st er in center of said plug, a detachable cap for the other end of saidc linder, vanes on said cap, a separate cartri closed at one end, a head on the other endof said cartridge, including a detonator cap, inoendia material and igniting means and a was er in said cartrid tongues inwardly projecting from the cy inder, and supporting said cartridge, and internal projections in said cylinder retaining said cartri in position;

5. An incendiary bomb mcludm in combination a cylinder, a plug constitutin a wei ht in one end of said cylinder a stn er in the center of said plu a detachable cap for the other end of sai cylinder, 9. separate cartridge with incendiary composition therein and a detonator cap therefor adapted to be-detonated by said striker u n impact and means in said cylinder a apted normally to support said cartridge with its --detonator cap out of contact with said striker.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANCIS RANKEN. 

